Generally, electrified vehicles differ from conventional motor vehicles in that they are selectively driven using one or more battery powered electric machines. Conventional motor vehicles, by contrast, rely exclusively on an internal combustion engine to drive the vehicle. Electrified vehicles may use electric machines instead of, or in addition to, internal combustion engines. The electric machines are typically powered by high voltage batteries.
Electrified vehicles may utilize one or more contactors that isolate energy stored in the high voltage batteries from other vehicle loads. For example, the contactors may act as high voltage relays for switching supply voltages to other high voltage components on the vehicle (e.g., electric machines, A/C compressor, PTC heater, DCDC converter, etc.). The contactors connect the battery to a high voltage bus during normal vehicle operation in order to power the electric machine(s).